Baseball game



M. SMELLOW BASEBALL GAME Feb. 10, 1931.

Filed Nov. 26, 1929 3 SliegtS-Sheet l Inventor film/5Z7 J'zneilow .4 iiomey M, SMELL'OW" BASEBALL GAME Eiled Nov. 261 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor A iiomey M. SMELLOW BASEBALL GAM Feb. 10, 1931,

Filed Nov. 26, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor firrzli 'nzeZZow M r A iiorney Patented Feb. 10, 1931 PATENT OFFICE MORRIS SMELLOW, or ANNAIPOLIS, MARYLAND BASEBALL GAME Application filed November 26, 1929. Serial No. 409,846.

This invention relates to a base ball game apparatus and more particularly to a game apparatus of this character which has embodied therewith a coin controlmechanism for permitting the game to be played but it is to be understood that a device inaccordance with this invention maybe constructed with or without said coin control mechanism.

An important object of the invention is to 1% provide in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a base ball apparatus of the aforementioned character having manually operable means for successively projecting a series of balls through the air from a point on a playing board which is marked off for a playing field and which point is commonly known as the pitchers boX of said field. i

Another important object of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a manually operable striking means for hitting the ball as it is thrown from the pitchers box and wherein said means is adapted to shift a bat in a horizontal or vertical lane for the purpose of striking the ball.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a base ball game apparatus of the character set forth which will be simple in construction, strong, durable, efiicient in its use and which may be manufactured at low cost.

Other objects and advantages of the inven'- tion will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate cor- 35 responding parts throughout the several views, and wherein Figure 1 is a view in top plan of'a base ball game apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation thereof. Figure 3'is a fragmentary View in horizontal section taken substantially on the line 83 of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4c is a fragmentary View in vertical longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows. V

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure and'looking in the direction of the arrows. t

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse fragmen-' tary sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 2. i

Figure 7 is a detail View in cross-section showing the ball release mechanism and taken substantially on the line 77 of Figure 4c.

Figure 8 is a detail view in vertical longitudinal section of the coin control mechanism and taken substantially on the line 8"-8 of Figure 8. r A A Figure 9' a detail fragmentary View in horizontal section of the coin control mechanism and taken substantially on the line 99 of Figure 8, and looking in the direotion of the arrows.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary detail in elevation showing the coin operated latch. L

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference character 1 designatesa rectangular casing or cabinet preferably of wood or metal upon the top of which and in the sides and end walls at their upper portion of which are mounted the transparentpanels 2; As seen most clearly in Figure 4 of the drawings, the lower side of the casing 'l is open and mounted on the side and end walls of said bottom thereof is a playing board or field 3 which is ornamented to'represent a base ball playing field, as seenin Figure l of the drawings. The board 3'is inclined from the bat ters boX to the outfield and the opposite side portions thereof are inclined toward the center of the board.

At the lowermost point of the board?) an opening his provided and disposedbeneath said opening and extending forwardly therefrom to a point beneath the rectangular slot 5 which is located at a point on the board to correspond with the pitchers box, the ball return trough or conduit 6 which is inclined from said opening ite the slot 5. The lower end of the trough is supported from the board 3 by straps 6. The slot 5 has an upstanding flange'5 on its forward and longitudinal sides to preventballs fromentering same from the board 3.-

Bracket 7 depends from an intermediate portion of the trough 6 and pivotally secured to the lower ends of the bracket 7 is a. ball release arm 8, the free ends of which is turned at right angles and disposed in transverse slots 9 in the side walls of the trough 6 for arresting the balls 10 in their movement back to the pitchers box.

The ball release arm 8 has its forward end pivotally connected to an actuating lever 11 which is pivotally connected,'as at 12, to the adjacent end wall of the casing and has its free ends extended through a vertical slot 13 in the side wall of the casing and terminating in an actuating handle 1%. A coin tube 15 is disposed vertically in the casing 1 and communicates, at its upper end with the coin receiving slot 16 in said casing. The side portion of the lower end portion of the tube 15 is recessed, as at 17 and pivotally mounted on said side portion at the upper end of the recess 17 is the coin actuated latch 18 which has its pivotal connection 19 disposed otf center in order that said latch will gravitate to a position wherein the lower end will extend into the recess 17 and across the tube 15 and the upper end of the said latch will swing A sub stantially U-shaped bracket 20 has its upper outwardlyand away from said tube.

' the drawings, a pull spring 11 has its ends connected to lever 11 and board 3 for yield;

ingly maintaining. said lever in raised posi- 01011, the com actuated latch 18 has one end adapted for engagement with the lever 11' and this will also be hereinafter more fully referred to.

A transverse horizontal supportin bar 21 3 in spaced relation to the side walls, between the side walls of the'casing 1 and said bar extends substantially beneath the rectangular slot 5 of the board 3. Mounted on the central portion of the bar 21 is a vertical standard 22 upon the upper end of which is pivotally mounted a ball projecting arm 23 having a ball receiving cup 24 on its forward end which is disposed adjacent the open end of the ball return trough 6. This end of the projector arm 23 also has depending there from an arcuate ball retaining arm 25 which passes upwardly across the open end of the troughG when the arm 23 is swung upwardly for the purpose of preventing the ball in the lower end of said trough from escaping therefrom. The opposite end of the projector 23 is provided with a down turned extension 26 to the free end of which is connected a retractile spring 27 having its opposite end connectedto an adjusting screw: 28 which, in turn, is mounted in a bracket 29 on the bar 21. On one side, the ball projector 23 is provided with a ledge 28, the upper side of which is provided with a beveled portion and said ledge is adapted to be engaged by the hook portion 29 of a latch rod 30 which is slidably mounted, at one end, in the depend ing bracket 31 which extends from the lower side of the board 3 and the opposite end of the latch rod 30 extends slidably through a side wall of the casing, as seen most clearly in Figure 3 of the drawings. A rctractile spring 32 has one end anchored to the rod 30 and its opposite end connected to the side wall of the casing for normally urging the hook 29 toward the ball projector arm 23.

An actuating knob 33 is mounted on the outer end of the latch 30. The free end 01? the hook portion 29 is beveled for engagement with the upper surface of the icdge 28' for causing said hook to ride over the ledge when that end of the arm 23 is swung upwardly, after a. ball has been thrown therefrom. A stop linger 34 projects laterally and downwardly from the lower end of the bracket 31 for engagement with the adjacent end portion of the projector arm 23 for limiting the upward movement of that end of the arm. The projector arm 23 is pi'votally mounted on the upper end of the standard 22 through the medium of a rock shaft 35 which is journaled through the upper end of said standard and extends laterally therefrom and has one end portion journaled through the side wall of the casing and provided with an actuating knob 36. 'iihe arm 23 is rigidly mounted on the rock shaft 35 for rotation therewith.

Adjacent the rear end of the board 3 is a batting mechanism comprising a hollow figure 3'? which represents a base-ball player and which is rotatably mounted on the board 3 through the medium of a rotatable base 38 which is provided, at one end, with a circular-thickened head 39 which extends into a circular opening 40 in said board in a manner to rotate therein. As seen most clearly in Figure 5. of the drawings, the thickened head portion '39 is provided with an arcuate flange 40 on its free side. An arcuate retaining strip 41 is secured to the underside of the board 3 adjacent'the opening 40 and extendsover the flange 40 and head 39 in a manner to rotatably support the same in position. The opposite end. of the base is disposed for longitudinal travel between an arcuate retaining element and the board 3. Said element 12 being secured to the lower side of said board. I

A bat 43 extends through an opening 41 on the front of the Figure 37 and is pivotally connected to the interior thereof, as at 1:5, and a lever 46 is integrally connected to the inner endof the bat and extends upwardly at anjobtusc angle from the pivotal mount ing thereof. A hanger &7 depends from the swinging end portion of the base 38 and pivotally connected to the lower end. of the hanger 47 is a bat manipulating rod 48 having one end extending through a comparatively large opening 49 in one of the side walls of the casing and provided with a handle or knob 50 at its outer end. The opposite end of the rod 48 has pivotally connected thereto a vertical link 53 which extends slidably through an opening 5% in the head 39 of the base 38 and also through an aligned opening in the flange of the element 40 and said link projects upwardly into the Figure 37 through one end of the legs thereof which is open at its lower end and in com munication with the openings in the head 39 and element 40, as clearly seen in Figure 5. The upper end of the link 53 is pivotally connected to the free end of the lever a6.

A removable coin receiving drawer 55 is slidably mounted in the casing l beneath the discharge end of the coin tube 15 and is provided with a handle 56 as Well as a suitable lock 57 for securing the same in the cabinet.

The operation of the device is as follows A coin is inserted in the slot 16 and gravitates through the tube 15 and engages the lower end of the pivoted latch 18 in a manner to cause the upper end thereof to swing from beneath the ball releasing arm actuating lever 11. The lever with the element 20 mounted thereon may then be swung downwardly and the right angularly disposed end portion of the lever or ball releasing arm 8 will be raised out of the trough 6 and the balls 10 therein will be free to gravitate to the lower end of said trough as will be obvious. When the balls 10 reach the lower end of the trough 6 they engage the upper end of the arcuate guard 25 and said balls are thus retained in the lower end of the trough. The player then grasps the knob 36 and turns same in a counter-clockwise direction allowing a ball 10 to drop into pocket 24. The stop 34': limits the turning of the projector arm 23 in this direction in such a manner that but a single ball will leave the trough 6 at a time. The player then releases the knob 36 and the projector arm is returned to its original position by spring 27 and is retained by the latch 29 engaging under the lip 28. The player then grasps the latch rod handle 33 with one hand and the knob or handle 50 of the bar manipulating rod 48 with the other hand. He then pushes the latch rod 30 inwardly in a manner to disengage the hook 29 from beneath the ledge 28 and the retractile spring 27 will swing the ball projector arm 23 on the standard 22 in a manner to cause the cupped ends of the same to pass upwardly through the slot 5 in the board 3 and when said arm strikes the forward end of the slot 5 the ball which is contained in the cup 24 thereon will be projected toward the batter 3'7, as will be apparent. With his other hand hewill attempt to manipulate and swing the bat 4:3 in a manner to strike the ball and for this purpose he swings the rod ,48 in a vertical plane for the purpose of elevating or lowering the bat a3 on the pivot 45 in order to bring said bat into horizontal alignment with the flight of the oncoming ball and for the purpose of striking said ball and driving back over the board 3, the player swings the rod 48 in a horizontal plane with the result that the base 38, through the medium of the hanger 47 connected at one end thereof and to said rod 48, will be caused to swing in a horizontal plane and like movement will be imparted to the Figure 37 which is mounted thereon.

When the ball drops onto the board 3, the same rolls by gravity to the opening 4 and re-enters the trough 6, therethrough and gravitates against to the angularly disposed retaining end portion of the lever or arm 8. When the projector arm 23 swings upwardly through the slot 5 of the board 3 the arcuate guard 25 passes upwardly adjacent the open end of the trough 6 and prevents the balls which are disposed therein from escaping therefrom. Thetension of the spring 27 may be regulated through the medium of the screw 28 and this is for the purpose of compensating for any weakening of the spring which might take place or for regulating the speed at which the ball will be projected through the air.

The apparatus constituting this invention provides considerable amusement for a single player who endeavors to manipulate the mechanical batter in a manner todrive the ball to an area of the field which would entitle thebatter to'a hit. When the apparatus is used by two persons as contestants, one of the contestants operates the ball projecting mechanism and the other of the contestants operates the mechanical batter. The contesant operating the projecting or pitching mechanism endeavors to project the ball toward the batter in a manner to cause said batter to pitch said ball for a strike. Three strikes will constitute one out against the contestant operating the mechanical batter who is allowed three outs. Should the ball be driven by the mechanical batter so as to land in or traverse the areas defined by the circles on the margin of the infield, the ball is assumed to have been fielded properly and another out is counted against the contestant op erating the mechanical batter. Should the ball be driven between the circular areas on the margin of the infield a hit is scored for the contestant operating the mechanical batter and the value of said hit, that is whether said hit is to be considered as a single, double or triple'is determined by the portions of the playing field to which the ballis driven, said portions being designated by suitable indicia. The contestant scoring the highest number of hits before three outs have been made against him wins the contest or game, it being understood that after three outs have been made the player operating the pitching mechanism takes his turn with the batting mechanism while the player who has been operating the batting mechanism operates the pitching mechanism. Any desired number of innings may be played and the hits made by each contestant may be totaled at the end of the last inning to determine the Winner of the contest.

The coin conducting tube 15 has its inner dimension ust large enough to accommodate the correct coin to be inserted for the purpose of operatin the device. By offsetting the lower end or member 20 a smaller coin than the one prescribed would drop past the latch l8 and the member 20 into the drawer 55. When the correctcoin is inserted in the tube 15 the same shifts the latch 18 and comes to rest on the lower end 01"- the element 20 and when said elen'ient, together with the lever 11, are lowered, the coin falls off of the element 20 after it leaves-the tube 15 and is precipitated into the coin box 55.

One of the walls'of the casing may be provided with an opening and a hinged closure therefor in order that access may be had to the interior thereof. The board 3 is provided with oil ports A e. for lubricating the opposite end portions of the base 38.

It is believed that the many advantages of abase-ball game apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention will be readily understood, and although the preferred embodiment ol'- the invention is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that chan in the details of construction may be had which will fall within the scope oi? the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is 1. A base ball" game apparatus of the character described comprising a casing, an inclined board on the casing having a ball discharge opening therein, and another opening spaced from the discharge opening, an inclined ball conducting trough beneath the board and the discharge opening for receiving balls therefrom, said trough extending to a point adjacent the second named opening, a sp 'ing actuated projector arm pivotally mounted on the casing and adapted to receive balls from the trough and project the same through the second named opening and over the board, manually operable means for releasing the arm and a batting mechanism positioned on. the board in spaced relation to the second named openi' g and comprising a base rotatably mounted on the board, a supporting figure fixed on the base for rotation therewith in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis, a striking bat pivotally mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane on the figure, a

depending hanger fixed to the base, a rod pivotally connected to the hanger for swinging movement in a vertical plane, and a link bpcratively connecting the bat to the rod for actuation by said rod.

2. A base ball game apparatus of the character descrilied comprising a casing, a board in the casing, means for projecting the ball over the board, a base rotatably mounted on the board, a bat supporting figure adjacent one end of the base, a striking bat pivotally mounted on the figure and extending thereinto, an actuating lever on the inner end of the hat, a hanger adjacent the other end of the base, a bat manipulating rod having its intermediate portion pivotally connected to the hanger, a link pivotally connecting one end of the rod to the lever on the bat, said rod being adapted to be manually swung in a vertical or horizontal plane for actuating the bat in a vertical or horizontal plane.

A base ball game of the character described comprising a. playing board having a slot therein, a batting mechanism mounted on the board and spaced from the slot, an inclined trough disposed beneath the board and adapted to receive balls therefrom, said trough being open at its lower end, a ball projecting arm pivotally mounted beneath the board and operable through the slot for projecting a ball toward the batting mechanism, a cup on one end portion of the arm for disposition adjacent the lowerend of the trough to receive balls therefrom when the arm is in retracted position, and an arm depending from the ball projecting arm and adapted for movement adjacent the lower end of the trough in a manner to retain the balls therein against discharge therefrom when the ball projecting arm is moved from its retracted position.

4. A base ball game of the character described comprising a playing board having a slot therein, a batting mechanism mounted on the board and spaced from the slot, an inclined trough disposed beneath the board. and adapted to receive balls therefrom, said trough being open at its lower end, a ball projecting arm pivotally mounted beneath the board and operable through the slot for pro- 'ecting a ball toward the batting mechanism, a cup on one end portion of the arm for disposition adjacent the lower end of the trough to receive balls therefrom when the arm is in retracted position, an arm depending from the ball projecting a "m and adapted for move ment adjacent the lower end of the trough in a manner to retain the balls therein against discharge therefrom when the ball projecting arm is moved from its retracted position, a spring for actuating the ball projecting arm in one direction to throw a ball toward the batting mechanism, means for regulating the tension of the spring, a stop member depending from the board and engageable with the ball projecting arm for limiting the swinging movement there-of in the opposite direction, an integral ledge on one side of the ball projecting arm, and a manually operable latch extending slidably through the stop member and engageable with the ledge in a manner to releasably retain the ball projecting arm in retracted position against the tension of the spring.

5. A base ball game of the character described comprising a playing board having a slot therein, a batting mechanism mounted on the board and spaced from the slot, an inclined trough disposed beneaththe board 5 and adapted to receive balls therefrom, said trough being open at its lower end, a ball projecting arm pivotally mounted beneath the board and operable through the slot for projecting a ball toward the batting mechanism,

a cup on one end portion of the arm for disposition adjacent the lower end of the trough to receive balls therefrom when the arm is in retracted position, an arm depending from the ball projecting arm and adapted for movement adj acent the lower end of the trough in a manner to retain the balls therein against discharge therefrom when the ball projecting arm is moved from its retracted position, a spring for actuating the ball projecting arm in one direction to throw a ball toward the batting mechanism, means for regulating the tension of the spring, a stop member depending from the board and engageable with the ball projecting arm for limiting the swinging movement thereof in the opposite direction, an integral ledge on one side of the ball projecting arm, a manually operable latch extending slidably through the stop member and engageable 4 with the ledge in a manner to releasably retain the ball projecting arm in retracted position against the tension of the spring, a spring connected to the latch for yieldably retaining said latch in operative position, and

manually operable means for swinging the arm toward its retracted position, the latch and the ledge being provided with coacting cam surfaces for shifting the latch to inoperative position for the passage of the ball projecting arm toward its retracted position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

MORRIS SMELLOW. 

